Fighting the Sun: Sunscreen and Other Options

Know your enemy: ultraviolet radiation

It's not the sun that you actually want to fight, it's the ultraviolet radiation. The highest concentration of ultraviolet occurs between 10 am to 4 pm. So these are the times when you want to avoid getting exposed to sunlight, or at least use extra protection if you can't do so.

There are two types of ultraviolet that can harm your skin: UVA and UVB. UVA rays may penetrate deep into your skin, suppress your defense system, and eventually be responsible for wrinkles and age spots. UVA rays can even penetrate glass and clouds so you still need to protect yourself even when it's cloudy or you're in a place with a lot of windows. UVB rays may burn your skin. Prolonged exposure to both UVA and UVB rays raises the risk of getting skin tumors and malignancy, such as squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma.

A good sunscreen offers protection from all types of UV light, but there are other ways to protect yourself from the sun. Protective clothings like long sleeve shirt, long pants, sunglasses, and wide-brimmed hat can also considerably reduce the harmful effects of UV exposure.

What is SPF?

remember to take other protective measures against ultraviolet

Every sunscreen have a SPF (Sun Protection Factor) number. This number measures how well the sunscreen deflects UVB rays. There's no standard for measuring protection against UVA. Theoretically, the higher the SPF, the better. Sunscreens with an SPF of 2 to 14 can advertise protection from sunburn, but they don't reduce skin cancer risk or early skin aging. 

In general, look for water-resistant, broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. Broad spectrum sunscreen means it provide protection to both UVA and UVB. Apply the sunscreen evenly and thick enough onto your skin around 30 minutes before going outdoors. Always remember that even water-resistant sunscreen will wear off after awhile. Reapply sunscreen after two hours or immediately after swimming.

Always remember that sunscreen use must be accompanied by other preventive measures, such as protective clothing and avoiding midday sun, in order to actually reduce the risk of skin cancer and premature skin aging.